Courtesy of Chase Osorio and Jenna Burns. Originally published Dec, 2015.
1 – Working Out in the Same Lane
This one might not be a big deal to outsiders, but when you train in the same lane, you know way too much about your teammates. Also, once the training gets rough, your angry side gets out, and no one wants to see that.
2 – Having to Look Good at Practice/Meets
If you’re a swimmer, you know how much you don’t care how you look at a swim meet or at any practice you’ve been to, but once you start dating someone on the team, that all changes. Suddenly your appearance is the only thing that you are focused on. Adios sweatpants, see you on the couch.
3 – Overnight Meets
We’ve all experienced overnighters, and we know how we act on these three-day excursions, grumpy, tired, and full of complaints. No one wants their boyfriend/girlfriend to see that side of them…EVER.
4 – Different Practice Reasons for Practice
Practice is for, well practice! Not cutesy eyes and flirty looks at your boyfriend/girlfriend. Not only are you not focused on your workout, neither is anyone else! Leave the crushes in your head and not on the pool deck.
5 – Breakups
As great as you think your relationship is going, it normally ends up in a breakup (no offense). This is the height of team awkwardness. You have to see this person everyday, so think before you commit to a relationship.
6 – Having Your Ex Beat You
Now that we’re on the topic of breakups, lets talk about the aftermath. Seeing your ex any day is awkward, but what about having them beat you in a practice? For boys, this is the worst type of shame you can get. Your teammates won’t be living this one down anytime soon.
7 – Ex Dates Another Swimmer
If you think dating on your team is bad, imagine people dating on different teams (refer to number 3). If a swimmer’s ex dates another swimmer from another team, meets could get heated. Picture it now; your ex’s new girlfriend is in the lane next to you in your race…uh oh.
8 – Secret Santa
Not all teams do this, but let’s imagine that they do. Picking anyone you aren’t familiar with is a challenge, but imagine picking someone who you are really familiar with, oh no. Also another topic for exes, do you really want to get your ex a Christmas present?
9 – Distractions
Similar to number 4, boyfriends/girlfriends can cause an ultimate distraction to anyone on your team. No one wants to witness the daily drama of being a couple, especially in a contained area. With all that drama, your pool is bound to burst.
10 – TMI
Also known as too much information. Every swimmer knows that once you’re on a team, your information is spread, everywhere. No one on the team doesn’t know who you are, or some sort of story about your swimmer mishaps. Honestly, married couples shouldn’t know this much about each other.
About Chase Osorio and Jenna Burns
We’re 14 years old and go to the O’Neal School. We’re best friends and have been swimming together since we were in 2nd grade where we swam lessons during school. We belong to the Sandhills Sandsharks in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Chase has been swimming competitively since he was eleven. He is a freestyle sprinter with hopes of swimming for the St. Lucia national team, where his Mom is from. Chase holds two National Age Group records for St. Lucia in the 100 and 50 fly. Jenna has been swimming competitively since she was six. She is a distance swimmer with open water swimming goals in sight. We both are first time writers and can’t wait to share our experiences with you.
Training-Trips.com is a SwimSwam partner.
Let’s be real all swimmers get their swimmer crush at some point. I date a boy who’s name I won’t expose so we shall call him A. A and me have been going well for about 2 years now we swim better together. We both look bad at swimming meets it really doesn’t matter we know we both put the pool first and that means sweats swimsuits and a load of food. It’s always a competition this just pushes us along and doesn’t set anything back he’s the fastest boy in our club and I’m one of the fastest girls mayyybe second a girl in an upper squad is first. We race all the time he doesn’t have an issue… Read more »
I am currently dating a swimmer on my swim team, and everything has been working out just fine. While this article says that it never works out, I think that it could for a number of reasons. 1) He/She better understands your life and schedule because he/she lives it too. Also, for those couples who can never hang out because of games, tournaments, or meets, you can hang out with your significant other almost everyday for practice and all day on meet days. I think dating a swimmer has many perks.
Date someone on another team
I have sooo many swimcest stories from 37 years of coaching. Some good, some crazy bad. And more than a few happily married couples, so yeah, it can work.
#swimsest
Of all the content from 2015 you could run again, this?
Ohh snap!!! didn’t see that part. I expect a part 2 in the next week saying these 2 are married now or something.
This article is old enough to be drawing a pension.
Carrot cake